Pethia reval (MEEGASKUMBURA, SILVA, MADUWAGE & PETHIYAGODA, 2008)

Synonyms

Puntius reval Meegaskumbura, Silva, Maduwage & Pethiyagoda, 2008

Etymology

Pethia: the generic vernacular name for small cyprinids in the Sinhala language.
reval: from the conjunction of the Sinhala root for red (re) and noun for fins (val, varal), alluding to the distinctive color of the fins of this species.

Classification

Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae

Distribution

This species is only found in the western region of Sri Lanka and is known to inhabit the Kelani and Maha Oya river systems, as well as smaller waterways situated between them, such as the Attanagalu and Kalu rivers.

In the southern part of its range, there is a possibility of a natural hybridization occurring between the species and another, namely P. cumingii and P. reval. However, in the Mahaweli River, which is located in the northeastern part of the island and drains into the Bay of Bengal, it appears that the species population has been introduced artificially.

The type locality, which is the place where the species was first discovered and described, is situated in the Kelani River basin, specifically in Labugama near Hanwella. The coordinates of this location are 6°51’N, 80°10’E, and its elevation is approximately 90 meters.

The Mahaweli River

The Mahaweli River is a major river in Sri Lanka, originating in the Sri Pada mountain range and flowing approximately 335 km to its mouth at the Bay of Bengal. It is the longest river in Sri Lanka and is an important source of water for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation.

The river’s name is derived from the Sinhalese words “maha” (meaning great) and “weli” (meaning sand), which refers to the large amount of sand and gravel carried by the river during the rainy season. The Mahaweli River basin covers an area of approximately 10,448 km², making it one of the largest river basins in Sri Lanka.

The Mahaweli River has played a significant role in Sri Lanka’s history and culture. The river and its surrounding areas were once home to ancient kingdoms and early civilizations, and the river has been a major source of food, water, and transportation for thousands of years.

Today, the Mahaweli River continues to play an important role in Sri Lanka’s economy and ecology. The river is a crucial source of water for agriculture, with many rice paddies and other crops irrigated using water from the river. The river also supports a diverse range of plant and animal life, including several endemic species.

However, the Mahaweli River also faces several challenges and threats. Like many rivers in Sri Lanka, the Mahaweli River is under pressure from human activities such as deforestation, land use change, and pollution. These activities have led to soil erosion, sedimentation, and degradation of water quality, which in turn affect the river’s ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.

Efforts have been made to address these challenges and ensure the sustainable management of the Mahaweli River basin. These efforts include the implementation of water management and conservation programs, the construction of dams and reservoirs to regulate the river’s flow, and the establishment of protected areas to conserve the river’s unique biodiversity.

Despite these challenges, the Mahaweli River remains a vital resource for Sri Lanka and its people. Its rich history, culture, and ecology make it a unique and important part of the country’s identity and heritage. As such, it is important that efforts continue to be made to ensure the sustainable management and conservation of this important river system.

P. cumingii

P. cumingii, also known as the Cuming’s barb, is a species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is native to Sri Lanka, where it inhabits streams and rivers with moderate to fast water flow, and is known for its beautiful coloration and peaceful demeanor.

P. cumingii is a relatively small fish, reaching a maximum length of around 4 inches (10 cm) in the wild. It has an elongated body shape and a rounded head, with large eyes and a small, downward-facing mouth. The species displays striking coloration, with a silver body marked by two black stripes running down the length of the fish, and bright orange or red fins.

In its natural habitat, P. cumingii is found in clear, fast-flowing streams and rivers with rocky bottoms and moderate vegetation. These environments provide the species with the necessary shelter and food sources it requires to survive. P. cumingii is an omnivorous species, feeding on a variety of foods such as insects, small crustaceans, and algae.

P. cumingii is a popular fish in the aquarium hobby due to its stunning coloration and peaceful temperament. It is relatively easy to care for and can be housed in a range of aquarium setups, from planted tanks to biotope aquariums that mimic its natural habitat.

To keep P. cumingii healthy and happy in captivity, it is important to provide them with a well-maintained tank that is properly filtered and aerated. P. cumingii prefers water with a pH range of 6.5 to 7.5 and a temperature range of 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit (22 to 28 degrees Celsius). The species also appreciates the presence of plants and driftwood in the aquarium, which helps to recreate its natural environment and provides additional hiding places.

In terms of feeding, P. cumingii is an easy species to please. It will readily accept a variety of foods, including high-quality flake or pellet foods, freeze-dried and frozen foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, and daphnia. It is recommended to feed P. cumingii small meals several times a day, rather than one large feeding, to prevent overfeeding and to ensure the fish receive the necessary nutrients to stay healthy.

Breeding P. cumingii in captivity can be challenging, but it is possible with the right conditions. The species is an egg scatterer, and the eggs will adhere to plants and other surfaces in the aquarium. To encourage breeding, it is important to provide the fish with a healthy, well-maintained environment, and to condition the breeding pair with high-quality foods before introducing them to a breeding tank.

Overall, P. cumingii is a beautiful and fascinating fish that is well-suited for the aquarium hobby. Its striking coloration, peaceful temperament, and relative ease of care make it a popular choice for aquarists of all skill levels. With proper care and attention, P. cumingii can live for several years in captivity and provide endless enjoyment and beauty to its owner.

Pethia reval (MEEGASKUMBURA, SILVA, MADUWAGE & PETHIYAGODA, 2008)

Habitat

The description of this species does not provide any specific information, but it is assumed that it primarily inhabits smaller tributary waterways rather than the larger main river channels.

Maximum Standard Length

According to official records, the largest specimen that has been measured had a length of 33.6 mm.

Aquarium Size

To meet the necessary requirements, the base dimensions of the object must be at least 75 cm by 30 cm or their equivalent.

Maintenance

When it comes to the décor of the tank for this species, the choice is not crucial, although better coloration is observed in tanks with dense plant growth and a dark substrate. It is also recommended to add some floating plants and driftwood roots or branches to help diffuse the light entering the tank and create a more natural environment.

While filtration does not require excessive strength, some degree of water movement is appreciated by the species. Additionally, it thrives in a hill stream-type set-up.

Water Conditions

Temperature: 18 – 26 °C
pH: 6.0 – 7.5
Hardness: 36 – 215 ppm

Diet

In their natural habitat, it is believed that these fish primarily feed on a variety of sources including diatoms, algae, organic detritus, small insects, worms, crustaceans, and zooplankton.

When kept in an aquarium setting, feeding this species is relatively easy. However, to maintain its health and vibrant coloration, it is recommended to offer regular meals of small live or frozen foods like bloodworms, Daphnia, and Artemia, as well as high-quality dried flakes and granules. It is also recommended that some of these foods include additional plant or algal content.

Behaviour and Compatibility

This species is known for being generally peaceful, which makes it an ideal addition to a well-researched community aquarium. As it does not have specific water chemistry requirements, it can be housed with many popular fish species in the hobby, including small cyprinids, tetras, livebearers, rainbowfishes, anabantoids, catfishes, and loaches.

Being a schooling species by nature, it is recommended to purchase at least 6-10 individuals. Keeping this species in such numbers will not only reduce its skittishness but will also result in a more natural-looking display. Additionally, male fish will develop better coloration in the presence of conspecific rivals.

Sexual Dimorphism

In this species, adult males are easily distinguished from females due to their smaller and slimmer size, as well as their more intense coloration, particularly when they are in spawning condition.

Reproduction

Unrecorded.

Notes

Prior to its description, this species was considered a color form of the related species Pethia cumingii. However, it can be differentiated from P. cumingii based on several features, including maximum standard length (33.6 mm vs. 41.2 mm), smaller eye diameter (9.8-10.5% SL vs. 10.8-12.1% SL), 11+13 (vs. 11+15) vertebrae, cleithrum with a single spine (vs. smooth), proximal arm of fifth ceratobranchial with an oval foramen of diameter less than (vs. greater than) basal diameter of teeth, and red (vs. yellow) finnage.

Previously, P. reval was grouped with several closely-related species, including P. ater, P. bandula, P. conchonius, P. cumingii, P. didi, P. erythromycter, P. gelius, P. khugae, P. macrogramma, P. manipurensis, P. meingangbii, P. nankyweensis, P. nigripinnis, P. nigrofasciatus, P. padamya, P. phutunio, P. punctatus, P. shalynius, P. stoliczkanus, P. thelys, P. tiantian, and P. ticto. However, all of these species were moved to the new genus Pethia by Pethiyagoda et al. in 2012, along with P. melanomaculata, P. pookodensis, P. muvattupuzhaensis, P. ornatus, and P. yuensis.

Puntius narayani was not moved to the new genus and its generic placement is currently uncertain, as it possesses nine branched dorsal-fin rays and six branched anal-fin rays, which is unique to this species.

The Pethia genus is characterized by the absence of rostral barbels and minute or absent maxillary barbels, possession of a stiff, serrated last unbranched dorsal-fin ray, presence of a black blotch on the caudal peduncle, and frequently, black blotches, spots or bars on the side of the body, and infraorbital 3 deep and partially overlapping the preoperculum.

In P. cumingii, the flank markings consist of two black, vertically-orientated blotches, one posterior to the operculum and the other on the caudal peduncle, and this patterning is shared with other congeners such as P. bandula, P. didi, P. meingangbii, P. padamya, P. phutunio, and P. tiantian. P. reval can be distinguished from these species based on its red fin coloration and a combination of other features, including the absence of barbels, serrated last unbranched dorsal ray, incomplete lateral line perforating 4-9 scales, and dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins that are red (pale yellow in the Kalu River population).

For several years, the Puntius genus was considered a polyphyletic catch-all containing over 100 species of small to mid-sized cyprinids until Pethiyagoda et al. published a partial review in 2012 covering South Asian members. Subsequently, several sub-Himalayan Puntius species were reclassified and new genera, including Dawkinsia, Dravidia, and Pethia, were erected to accommodate some of them. The remainder either remained in Puntius or were moved to the existing Systomus assemblage. However, the definition of the latter was altered, meaning some Southeast Asian species formerly placed there are no longer members.

It was later discovered that the name Dravidia was preoccupied by a genus of flesh fly, leading to the creation of the replacement name Haludaria by Pethiyagoda in 2013. Unfortunately, no species from Indochina, China, or Indonesia were included in the study, meaning a significant number of former Puntius species are currently classified as incertae sedis, or of uncertain taxonomic placement, including several South Asian species.

For the time being, it is recommended to refer to these species as “Puntius” using quotation marks to denote the questionable usage of the genus name. This convention is currently used on SF (Seriously Fish), a popular online resource for aquarium fish.

References

Meegaskumbura, M., A. Silva, K. Maduwage, and R. Pethiyagoda, 2008 – Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 19(2): 141-152
Puntius reval, a new barb from Sri Lanka (Teleostei: Cyprinidae).
Pethiyagoda, R., 2013 – Zootaxa 3646(2): 199
Haludaria, a replacement generic name for Dravidia (Teleostei: Cyprinidae).
Pethiyagoda, R., M. Meegaskumbura, and K. Maduwage, 2012 – Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 23(1): 69-95
A synopsis of the South Asian fishes referred to Puntius (Pisces: Cyprinidae).